Best Substitutes for Butter
Butter is one of those ingredients that shows up in almost every recipe — and it's always the one you run out of at the worst moment. Whether you're out of butter, avoiding dairy, or just looking for a healthier swap, there are solid options that will get the job done without ruining your dish.
The key is knowing which substitute works where. Not every butter replacement behaves the same way, and using the wrong one in the wrong recipe can affect texture, flavour, and how things cook. Here's what you need to know.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is one of the most reliable butter substitutes for baking, sautéing, and roasting. It's solid at room temperature like butter, which means it behaves similarly in many recipes — especially baked goods like cakes, muffins, and cookies.
Use 1 cup of coconut oil for every 1 cup of butter. One important tip: go for refined coconut oil rather than unrefined. Unrefined (virgin) coconut oil has a noticeable coconut flavour that can come through in your food, while refined coconut oil is much more neutral.
Where coconut oil falls short is in pastry and buttercream frosting. It changes the texture of pastry dough in ways that are hard to work around, and buttercream made with coconut oil tends to be too soft and oily to hold its shape properly.
Vegetable Oil
Vegetable oil is probably the easiest swap since most people already have it in the pantry. It works well in baking and for sautéing, though you'll need to adjust the amount — use ¾ cup of vegetable oil for every 1 cup of butter.
Because vegetable oil is a liquid fat, it doesn't behave exactly like butter in all situations. It's great for keeping cakes and quick breads moist, but it won't give you the same richness or structure. The flavour is very neutral, which is generally a good thing — it won't compete with other ingredients.
Avoid using vegetable oil as a spread, in pastry, or for buttercream. It simply won't work for anything that needs a solid fat to create the right texture.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is a fantastic butter substitute for sautéing, roasting, and savoury baking. The ratio is the same as vegetable oil — use ¾ cup of olive oil for every 1 cup of butter.
The flavour is where you need to be careful. A robust extra virgin olive oil can overpower more delicate dishes, so stick to light or mild olive oil when substituting for butter. It blends into savoury recipes beautifully and is a great choice if you're cooking Mediterranean-style dishes.
Olive oil isn't suitable for sweet baking or pastry. The flavour doesn't pair well with most sweet recipes, and like other liquid oils, it won't create the flaky layers that good pastry relies on.
Which Substitute Should You Use?
Here's a quick way to think about it:
- Sautéing or roasting? Any of the three will work. Olive oil is a natural choice for savoury cooking, coconut oil is great for a neutral option with a bit more body.
- Baking a cake or muffins? Coconut oil (refined) is your best bet for mimicking butter's behaviour. Vegetable oil works well too, especially if you want a moister crumb.
- Savoury baking? Olive oil is a solid pick. Think focaccia, savoury scones, or cornbread.
- Pastry or buttercream? None of these substitutes will give you the right result — it's worth sourcing actual butter or a quality vegan butter block for those.
The Bottom Line
Running out of butter doesn't have to derail your cooking. Coconut oil (refined) is the most versatile swap at a 1:1 ratio, while vegetable oil and olive oil both work well at ¾ cup per cup of butter. Match your substitute to your recipe — liquid oils for baking and cooking, and coconut oil when you need something closer to a solid fat. Just steer clear of all three when it comes to pastry or frosting.
